Contest entry for "Beloved Teacher" writing contest: Sowing talent in the rocky plateau

When we arrived at Primary School No. 1 in Sin Cheng Commune, Si Ma Cai District, Lao Cai Province, we could not help but admire the products displayed in the school's traditional room. The surprise was even greater when we learned that these works were the result of the small hands of ethnic minority students in the rocky plateau.

Love every innocent stroke

These are paintings, books, models... made from many different materials, simulating the life and activities of people in arid lands.

Admiring those works made us feel like we were standing next to thousands of flowers blooming on the dry rocky land, next to terraced fields glowing yellow under the sun; like walking in a colorful love market of brocade… Those works were completed under the dedicated guidance of Ms. Hoang Thi Thuy - the school's art teacher.

In 2012, after graduating from college of fine arts, Ms. Hoang Thi Thuy (from Yen Bai ) was filled with the spirit of volunteering and the desire to contribute of youth. She refused many job opportunities in favorable areas to volunteer to work at Primary School No. 1 in Sin Cheng Commune, Si Ma Cai District - a remote, mountainous, and most difficult border district of Lao Cai Province.

At that time, Sin Cheng Primary School No. 1 was just a remote location in the middle of a wild forest. The classrooms were made of wooden frames covered with fibro-cement tiles, and plastic sheets were stretched up to replace the walls. With 100% of the students being ethnic minorities, limited Vietnamese language skills made communication between teachers and students difficult.

During the first lessons, Ms. Thuy could not hold back her tears when she saw the students unfamiliar with the box of crayons, then happily drawing the first pencil strokes on the white paper. Looking at the students’ clumsy drawings, she felt more compassion and love. It was that love that helped her overcome the difficult days of going up and down mountain passes, traveling dozens of kilometers of forest roads to mobilize students to come to class.

The increasingly beautiful drawings of the "little artists" became the motivation to help Ms. Thuy ease her homesickness and become deeply attached to this land. As the teacher and students became more familiar and closer, she heard the children tell many simple and touching stories: "We love to draw. Every time I go to the fields with my parents, I often draw. My pens are dry branches and my drawing paper is the rough ground with gravel and rocks. At home, I draw on the walls with pieces of charcoal."

Gieo mầm tài năng nơi cao nguyên đá - Ảnh 1. — Students taught by Ms. Thuy to draw have won many prestigious awards. (Photo provided by the character)

Nurturing fine arts in the highlands

Up to now, teacher Hoang Thi Thuy has been attached to and taught at Primary School No. 1 in Sin Cheng commune for 13 years. "I consider this place as my second hometown. The love that I have nurtured since my youth has been devoted to the students whom I consider as members of my beloved family" - she expressed.

Living and working with students in the highlands, Ms. Thuy realized that they inherited the ingenuity of their mothers and grandmothers - who worked diligently day and night at the loom weaving brocade.

With dedication, she imparts professional knowledge, guides students to be creative, not only through vivid paintings but also through models imbued with the identity of the mountains and forests. These models are made of materials such as plastic, wood, paper... and can move realistically. When admiring them, we feel like we are living with the working lifestyle of the highland people.

When she learned about the "Youth and Children's Creativity" contest, Ms. Thuy ignited the fire of enthusiasm in her students and encouraged them to participate. She carefully guided her students to come up with creative ideas and choose the right materials to complete the product.

Then she continued to guide the students in writing presentations and practicing presentation skills. Thanks to her dedicated tutoring, many students were able to get rid of their shyness and timidity, becoming more confident in communicating and expressing themselves.

With her passion for the profession and love, Ms. Thuy has supported the school's students to win many provincial and national awards in the "14th and 15th National Youth and Children's Creativity" contest. The work "Farmer Robot" won second prize in 2018; "Ethnic Community of Si Ma Cai District" won first prize in 2019; "My Family Products" won first prize in 2024; "Smart Ant" won consolation prize in 2022 and the work "A Day at School of Ours" won second prize in Lao Cai province in 2024.

The achievements that Ms. Thuy and her students have achieved are not only the pride of Primary School No. 1 in Sin Cheng Commune, but also a ray of hope for this land that still has many difficulties. The resilient green shoots and fragrant flowers that adorn life are sown by Ms. Thuy and her colleagues at schools in the highlands...

Gieo mầm tài năng nơi cao nguyên đá - Ảnh 2. — Ms. Thuy's students create products for display.

After 13 years of teaching in her second homeland, teacher Hoang Thi Thuy was honored to receive many certificates of merit from school to central level for her contributions and dedication tothe education sector.

Ms. Thuy was awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Chairman of Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee (2017); Certificate of Merit by the Minister of Education and Training; Certificate of Merit by the Chairman of the Ethnic Committee (2018); Certificate of Merit by the Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Youth Union for 5 consecutive years of achieving the title of Emulation Fighter at the grassroots level; Title of Emulation Fighter at the provincial level (2020)... She has also received many certificates of merit at the grassroots level.